Benchmark Financial

02/04/2026

We just wanted to take a moment and say, Thank You!!

As of December 31, 2025, Benchmark Financial Wealth Advisors has surpassed $1 billion in total assets under advisement - a milestone that reflects far more than markets or metrics. While we're proud of this achievement, we recognize that attaining this level reflects something more valuable than growth alone, it represents the confidence clients have placed in us and the partnerships we've built.

Since becoming an SEC registered RIA in 2017 our growth has not been by acquisitions but was fostered by other professionals introducing us to their clients and referrals from existing clients to their family members, friends and colleagues.

Throughout this journey, our growth has exceeded our expectations. From inception, we have been guided by two unwavering principles:

Our client’s needs, goals, and best interests are paramount.

Every decision we make is driven by the intention to create a positive, lasting impact on our client’s life and legacy.

These beliefs are not aspirational - they are operational. They shape how we advise, invest, hire, and grow.

As we look towards the future, our goal is to constantly improve to better serve our clients. We've grown our team strategically, adding seasoned professionals and creating dedicated advisory groups to deliver sophisticated, fiduciary guidance at every wealth level and life stage: from early-career professionals building wealth; to established accumulators; to retirees in distribution phase; to ultra-high net worth individuals and families.

This moment is both a celebration and a renewed commitment to serve with purpose, integrity, and care.

Benchmark Financial Wealth Advisors

12/02/2025

Congratulations to Roger Kalina on Earning the CEPA™ - Certified Exit Planning Advisor Designation!

Roger Kalina, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA™, ChFC®, CLU®

We are excited to announce that Roger has earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation!

Benchmark Financial is proud to announce that Roger Kalina recently earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credential after completing the Exit Planning Institute’s intensive 5-day executive MBA-style program.

Roger joins a select group of business advisors who have received this credential and are a part of the Exit Planning Institute’s international community of CEPAs. The CEPA™ designation was created to provide a structured and comprehensive framework for exit planning. This exit planning certification equips advisors with the knowledge and tools needed to guide business owners through the complexities of exiting their businesses, making it highly relevant in today’s business landscape.

About the CEPA Program:
The Certified Exit Planning Advisor program was specifically designed for business advisors who work closely with owners of privately held companies. The organizing principle of the program is Master Planning, the alignment of the three legs of the stool (business, personal, financial), which is executed through the implementation of a process called the Value Acceleration Methodology™. Using an executive MBA-style format, the program includes a combination of lectures, group discussions, case studies, and individual exercises to introduce participants to these concepts and to reinforce skills. The program is taught by the Exit Planning Institute’s faculty of advisors, who are all sought after subject matter experts and authors. The CEPA program is the most widely accepted and endorsed professional exit planning program in the world

To receive the CEPA credential, Roger Kalina completed a 5-day program that involved approximately one hundred hours of pre-course study, thirty hours of classroom instruction, and the successful completion of a 3-hour proctored exam.

About the Exit Planning Institute:
The Exit Planning Institute delivers interactive education and training, performance-enhancing resources, and strategic tools designed to enhance the exit planning profession. Formed in 2005 to serve the educational and resource needs of wealth managers, financial planners, accountants, management consultants, attorneys, M&A advisors, commercial lenders, and other business advisors, the Institute is considered the standard trendsetter in the field of exit planning. It is the only organization that offers the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) program which qualifies for continuing educational credits with twelve major professional associations, making it the most widely accepted and endorsed professional exit planning program in the world.

The Exit Planning Institute serves as a platform for creating awareness, advisor collaboration, innovative learning, continuing education, defining methodology, research, thought leadership, and practice development. Certified Exit Planning Advisors help to identify, protect, build, harvest and manage wealth to assist business owners and their families through an ownership transition.

Please join us in congratulating Roger on this impressive achievement!

06/06/2025

Benchmark Financial, is seeking an Associate Research Analyst to assist us in our mission of helping clients achieve their financial goals. Our culture is fast-paced, collaborative, and focused on improving our client’s lives.

🔶Description
The Associate Research Analyst is responsible for providing high-quality research, analysis and trading of financial investments. This includes conducting financial modeling and company/industry research to make appropriate buy/sell recommendations consistent with the firm’s investment philosophy.

Additional responsibilities can include being a contributing member of the firm’s Investment Committee, preparing reports and materials for client meetings, participating in client presentations, and providing general support to Investment Team, Advisors, and/or Business Development, as needed.

🔶Responsibilities & Activities
🔹Provide ongoing market and industry research and monitor trends.

🔹Communicate information and updates, as appropriate:

🔹Gather and communicate information on relevant market and business trends.

🔹Provide assistance, and information to advisors, investment committee, and leadership, as appropriate.

🔹Collaborate with leadership and investment committee to maintain the firm’s long- term and short-term investment philosophy and strategies.

🔹Assist in the development and completion of client materials, including reports and presentations.

🔹Conduct investment research and analysis, make buy/sell recommendations, trading and monitor investment, fund, and/or product performance:

🔹Evaluate investments through financial statements, products, services, competition, risk factors, and other considerations to determine value and alignment with the firm’s investment strategy.

🔹Formulate buy-sell recommendations, as appropriate.

🔹Create monthly, quarterly and annual performance reports.

🔹Maintain highest ethical standards and behaviors and follow internal controls.

🔹Ensure legal and regulatory compliance and consistency with the investment strategies and processes.

🔹Additional functions as required

🔹Special projects, initiatives, or priorities

🔶Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

🔹Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or related field, or equivalent work experience; MBA preferred

🔹1-3 years previous experience as a research analyst in the financial services industry, including use of financial software and databases

🔹Ability to understand complex information and develop recommendations.

🔹Demonstrated analytical skills with a high attention to detail
Ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines.

🔹Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills

🔹Effective working both independently and as a collaborative team member.

🔹Demonstrated history of ethical behavior and high integrity

🔹Salary is commensurate with experience.

We offer a flexible working environment in a brand-new professional office located in Boca Raton, FL. This is an opportunity to play a key role in the future success of our fast- growing organization. If you have a relentless, burning desire to succeed and share our vision, then we would love to hear from you!

For more information about our company, please visit our website www.bfllc.com.

If interested in this opportunity, please send your resume and letter of interest to Roger Kalina at [email protected].

06/03/2025

Benchmark Financial Wealth Advisors is proud to announce that Alex Manolakos, CPFA®, MBA® has attained his CRPS® certification.

The Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist℠, CRPS®, credential is issued by the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), an affiliate of the American Retirement Association. NAPA is a professional organization dedicated to supporting retirement plan professionals through advocacy, education, and networking. Its membership includes financial professionals who work with employer-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k)s.

The CRPS® designation is awarded to financial professionals who have demonstrated the expertise required to act as a plan fiduciary or to assist plan fiduciaries in managing their responsibilities. Earning the credential requires completion of a rigorous training program and a proctored exam covering fiduciary roles, plan investment oversight, regulatory compliance, and retirement plan design and management. Designees must complete ongoing continuing education to maintain the credential.

Please join us in congratulating Alex on this impressive achievement!

06/11/2024

Please join us in welcoming - Thomas Jędrej, LL.M. to Benchmark Financial!

Thanks to your support, Benchmark continues to add highly qualified professionals to our growing Wealth Management Team. Our goal is simple - keep learning and improving so we can deliver greater value and enhance your financial life.

Thomas joins Benchmark as our Chief Wealth Strategist.

Thomas brings over 25 years of Wealth Management experience to this executive role. Prior to joining Benchmark, Thomas served ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients, and managed Family Office relationships at one of Canada’s largest banks.

His duties at Benchmark will include executing on the firm’s strategic vision; direct oversight of the Investment Committee; and working with UHNW clients to develop an asset allocation plan aligned with their multi-generational family objectives and unique wealth transfer matters.

Thomas holds the Series 65 registration and has a Master of Laws (Business Law) degree from Osgoode Hall Law School (York University, Canada). As a lifelong learner, he attended Harvard Business School’s investment, governance, and leadership programs.

To review Thomas' complete Form ADV Part 2B, please visit our website at bfllc.com.

11/22/2023

To all our clients, family and friends, Happy Thanksgiving!! May you enjoy this special week of gratitude with your loved ones.

01/28/2023

After 3 years of planning, the wait is finally over - we’ve officially moved into our new building!

Please come visit us at our new corporate headquarters, located directly next to our old building:

2351 NW Boca Raton Blvd.
Boca Raton, FL 33431

We’re excited for the future in this space, continuing our mission of helping businesses and families achieve their life goals through financial planning.

01/23/2023

While most of us were enjoying the holidays with friends and family, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, within the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, a major overhaul of retirement vehicles and employer-sponsored plans nearly affecting all Americans with retirement accounts.

While not exhaustive, below is a summary of key provisions we wanted to highlight as it relates to your financial planning.

The Secure 2.0 Act of 2022 January 23, 2023 Greetings!While most of us were enjoying the holidays with friends and family, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, within the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, a major overhaul of retirement vehicles and employer-sponsored plans nearly affec...

11/09/2022

Benchmark Financial Welcomes
Alex Ligeti, CFA®, Wealth Advisor

Prior to joining Benchmark Financial, Alex worked for PNC Private Bank where he held a variety of different roles within their Asset Management Group. Alex was part of the team that worked on creating risk reduction strategies for clients’ portfolios.

Alex is a Chartered Financial Analyst, CFA®. The CFA® charter is a globally respected, graduate-level investment credential established in 1962 and awarded by CFA Institute.

Alex graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, with a degree in finance and a minor in economics. He played collegiate soccer at Santa Clara University and The University of Pittsburgh.

At Benchmark, he will use his experience and eye for detail to support our financial planning and investment teams and will also spend time helping individuals and families with emerging wealth.

Originally from Boca Raton, a lover of soccer and an assistant soccer coach at North Broward Prep’s high school. He also enjoys playing golf, or in the fall, attending as many Miami Dolphins games as he can.

Please join us in welcoming Alex to Benchmark!

10/22/2022

"It’s been a difficult year for both stock and bond markets. During volatile market environments, it is helpful to take a step back and look at the bigger picture:

The average recession period lasted 13.3 months with a -2.3% cumulative U.S. GDP contraction. In contrast, the average expansion period lasted 57.2 months with a cumulative +21.5% U.S. GDP growth. While recessions are painful, the data shows the following expansion periods are powerful."

[As it relates to your portfolio], "lengthening your time horizon increases the odds in your favor. Put simply, it pays to be a long-term investor."

To read more of our market commentary, click here:
https://bfllc.com/firm-blog-and-commentary/october-2022-market-commentary

07/02/2022

Land of the free, home of the brave.

Thank you to all those past, present and future who serve(d) our country so we can experience freedom and independence.

Happy 4th of July from Benchmark!

05/28/2022

This Memorial Day weekend, remember who we celebrate: our fallen heroes.

“Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay. But we can honor their sacrifice, and we must.”